The palette is made up of 240 hues characterized by a high degree of clarity, purity and richness as a result of formulation with more pigments in precise amounts, the company says.

“We have broken all the rules with the creation of Color Stories, and have achieved colors we’ve never been able to before,” said Ray Gomez, director of color marketing.

“These are full-spectrum paint colors, meaning that we’re combining anywhere between five and seven pigments, using no black or gray tints. Conventional colors use only three pigments and often fill in with black or gray.”

The company says zero-VOC pigments and colorants are used in its Aura brand paints, which are the only products available in the Color Stories palette. In addition, Benjamin Moore said it launches new color palettes only when a “valid breakthrough” in technology is involved. The last such roll-out was Affinity, introduced together with Aura paint in 2006.

Gomez says the research and development to build this initial full spectrum palette is ongoing.

Gomez says the new palette is expected to “resonate largely with architects and interior designers as well as consumers who have a discerning eye for color and how it is individually perceived.”

The company says select authorized retailers will be equipped to mix the hues in the palette.

“The retailers who take on Color Stories will really qualify as paint mixologists, because the process requires such infallible accuracy,” Gomez said.

The colors can be ordered in gallon, quart or pint sizes of Aura only, in matte, eggshell, semi-gloss, and satin finishes.

Benjamin Moore predicts blue big in 2012

Benjamin Moore color experts are forecasting that blue will be big in 2012 as the population seeks out a sense of calm, trust and the tried-and-true. The paint company’s top color pick for the coming year is Wythe Blue HC-143, a blue green hue with a cool gray cast to it.

“It’s interesting that Wythe Blue is from our historical color collection,” said Sonu Mathew, ASID, IIDA and Benjamin Moore’s senior interior designer. “We’ve actually cited it because it has a modern edge, yet it’s so rooted in history and is respectful of what’s classic and enduring.”

As Mathew pointed out, the blue family is an ideal backdrop for other colors and materials. “It’s an excellent partner to various wood tones, and complements the grays and whites that have become current decorating basics.”

Benjamin Moore’s Wythe Blue also evokes nature’s primal elements of earth, sky, water, flora and fauna. It’s a color that can create a serene and restful, comfortable and stable ambiance—an antidote to the frenetic pace of today’s daily life.

Another trend blue for 2012 is Benjamin Moore Montpelier AF-555. Also on the gray scale, this is a steelier tone, but it, too, has a timeless quality to it.

Amethyst Shadow 1441 is another call out for 2012 that borders the gray scale while bridging between purple and blue.

The perennial love affair with whites and neutrals can be sated with Benjamin Moore’s Ballet White OC-9, White Dove OC-17, Battenberg AF-70, Refined AF-75 and Pashmina AF-100. These, according to Mathew, are reliable “go tos” that never go out of style.

Urbanistas, said Mathew, tend to kick up the color usage a notch or two with spicier tones. For these who welcome color into their décor Benjamin Moore is proposing Gypsy Love 2085-30 or Persimmon 2088-40, robust, ruddy hues.

Earthy tones are very also included in the 2012 palette. Those envisioned to be strongest in the coming year are Benjamin Moore’s French Press AF-170, Masada AF-220, Farm Fresh AF-360, Dunmore Cream HC-29, and Fresh Olive 2149-30.

Mathew reminded that the end goal in providing an annual color forecast is to help inspire and fuel the imagination of individuals as they take on home decorating and painting projects. “This is meant to be a starting point in their color selection process,” she said.

Additionally, according to Mathew, the company offers support in helping choose color combinations. “We’ve learned that one of the greatest challenges for consumers is deciding on color combinations, and their confidence is lacking when it comes to these choices,” she said.

Aiding this quandary is the 2012 Color Trends Card that can be found on display and is available free of charge at Benjamin Moore paint retailers nationwide. Or, online tools also are offered, such as the Personal Color Viewer, the ben Color Capture app, and the Color Life e-zine for iPads and Androids.